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# Iconography of the Founders of the Order of Hermes

#### by Mark D F Shirley

The copyright of this article remains with the original author. Articles may be copied or distributed freely for personal non-profit use, provided that the author is properly credited.

(This article was adapted from a discussion on the Ars Magica Mailing List)

What follows is an abstract from the thesis written by Agaso Loquax, a magus of House Jerbiton, as part of his Apprentice's Gauntlet to gain entrance into that House. The Thesis was entitled "The Cult of the Founders: The Impact of the Twelve Founders and their Societal Implications in the early days of the Order of Hermes; and its relevance today".

Part of this three volume thesis was a discussion on how the Founders are represented in art. Excerpts from this chapter are given below.

...

Any institution feels a need to represent its founders. The Order, with the political and cultural importance it places on the twelve founders, could do no less. As time went by, a body of iconography developed on how the various Founders are represented. Poses, backgrounds, items and colours all became very important, each with its symbolic meaning.

When one examines contemporary and historical manuscripts depicting actual personages, it is evident from the standard symbology who is of the Class of Toil, who is of the Class of Scripture, and who is of the Class of Rule.

[Agaso proceeds to describe the defining characteristics of such figures]

Upon examining Hermetic works, one finds a number of defining features that sets the depiction of a magus apart from the other societal roles found today. Evidently, early on in the formation of the Order of Hermes, an official iconography was decided upon and consciously adopted - I suspect by members of the Noble House of Jerbiton, as it is this House that is responsible for recording much of the History of the Order.

The defining symbology that can be identified for a magus consists of one or more of the following:

hands: One hand of the magus is raised, in a gesture resembling that of benediction/blessing. The hand itself, however, is found in one of two positions: with thumb covering index and middle fingers, with the ring and little fingers held erect, next to each other, thus mimicking the gesture for the Ars Mentis. The alternative is with thumb and index finger touching, with the forefinger curled, the gesture for the Ars Vis. The other hand holds the staff

staff: The staff is laid across the body, held in the crook of the left arm. The hand itself rests either on the staff's head or across the magus' stomach. The head of the staff is looped (not open like a shepherd's crook, but closed) or bears a flower, like the staff of Aaron. Another pose sees the staff outstretched in the right hand of the magus, a halo appearing about the extended tip of the staff, but the staff casts a shadow across the magus.

clothing: The magus wears robes of a stark, clerical style, but in colours appropriate to those of the House. A peaked hood is worn, with long side flaps covering the ears. Female magae do not deviate from this representation. In addition to the ordinary robes of the magus, a version of the Roman toga is placed over a Hermetic Magus' robes, to symbolise their connection with the ancient Roman traditions. Neither Díedne nor Bjornaer are represented togate.

amulet: An amulet is usually conspicuous on the chest of the magus. This is always representative of the House. On occasion, this amulet becomes a sign of power on the forehead of the magus.

[Agaso proceeds to explain the specific icons found representing the Twelve Founders]

Bonisagus

Probably the Founder most likely to be represented in Art as the Founder of the Order itself, and is thus used to symbolise the Order as a whole. Bonisagus is likely to be represented with a scroll or book in his left hand instead of a staff and a stylus in his right, scribing a mystical symbol for Vim into the book. A key would be at his belt, and his physical sigil, appearing on his amulet, is two keys crossed.

A common image of Bonisagus sees him sitting togate on a simple throne, holding a key in one hand and making the Vim symbol in the other. His hair and beard are white, but his eyes are large, brown and clear. He looks strong. Behind him and to his right stands Trianoma, her head gently inclined toward Bonisagus, as though ready to whisper her counsel into his ear. She is simply dressed in the Roman style. She leans against a staff in her left hand, tipped with a gold eagle. Her right hand holds an unopened scroll. Bonisagus dominates the tableau, and wears a simple wreath upon his brow.

Bjornaer

On only three occasions have I found an icon depicting Bjornaer in human form. In all three occasions she is garbed, not in the toga of Rome, but in tunic and britches. A bird of some sort is perched on her shoulder, speaking into her ear. Around her shoulders is the skin of a bear, worn as a cloak, with the paws tied around her neck. In one of the icons she stands on the bearskin. Her eyes are like that of a beast.

All other images of Bjornaer depicts her either as a bird or bear with a halo. Sometimes the bird is shown grasping a staff in its talons.

Criamon

Criamon is not dressed as a Roman but as an Egyptian. His staff is a crook, similar to that held by a Pharaoh. His face has been stylised to resemble that of the Sphynx. A large ruddy sun is often setting behind him. In some representations, all of his body not covered by clothes is tattooed with indecipherable hieroglyphics. (There are a few versions of these glyphs.) He holds a frog in his other hand at face level, with whom he is clearly having a conversation, because his mouth is open, and his attention is on the frog. In some representations, a spider weaves its web in the crook of his staff.

Díedne

Only one representation of Díedne post-Schism is present, in a document recording the final demise of the House. Her robes are green, and as a non-Roman, wears no toga, but instead a tunic of yellow, the colour of betrayal. Her hands are streaked with blood, her staff is broken into two. Alone among the Founders depicted in this manuscript, she bears a weapon, a knife raised in her left hand. The symbol born upon her forehead like the Mark of Cain has been scratched out by a later reader of the manuscript, and is lost.

A few pre-Schism icons of Díedne exist, preserved among the writings of House Merinita, which I have had the good fortune to be allowed to peruse. Her garments are white, and she wears no traitor's tunic. He knife is sheathed, and in her belt. A golden branch of mistletoe is held in the upraised hand. Her staff blooms with apple-blossom, and occasionally a harp lies at her feet. This may well be in place of an amulet, for no other suitable objects are found.

Ex Miscellanea

Magi of this House do not recognise a Founder - to them, even Pralix was merely responsible for bringing them under the shelter of the Order. Where a depiction is needed, they often use either a sheaf of wheat, or the sigil of the House, a crooked staff.

Some have created a mythological image to represent this House, where a human figure is required. It is clad in robes of pink and grey, representing the Robes of Rosy Dawn worn by the Primus Ex Miscellaneorum. The robes are open, clearly showing the figure's hermaphrodite nature. It has no facial features, and holds a crooked staff in one hand and the other is empty, palm upwards.

Flambeau

The Founder of House Flambeau wears either a red or orange toga over white garments. He has wild hair on his uncovered head. He bears a sheathed sword in place of the staff, and is sometimes girt for battle instead of wearing robes, though the toga is still evident. His armour in this depiction can vary from contemporary arms to a legionary's outfit. He is usually represented as laughing or smiling (unless the book is of Flambeau manufacture, in which case only righteous fury is represented). His amulet is an hour-glass, sometimes present as a physical object. A common depiction has him surrounded in an aura suffused with flames.

Guernicus

Guernicus wears a brown toga over white garments. Guernicus holds a set of scales in his hand, with both sides of the scale empty. His chain for his amulet is unusually conspicuous, but he holds a physical representation - the scales. His staff is topped with a square, else he stands on another symbol for Earth, signifying what he gave up to assume his role as quaesitor of the Order. He is sometimes represented as being seated rather than standing. His feet are always bare.

When depicted with Bonisagus, he stands to the left of that Founder, but with his head turned towards the scales. In such depictions found within the House of Quaesitores, the head of Bonisagus is also turned slightly towards the scales.

Jerbiton

Jerbiton is never depicted togate. Instead, his blue garment more resembles a surcoat. Sometimes Jerbiton is portrayed as a knight, though he never bears a weapon. Instead, he will carry either a candle or a miniature tower in his right hand, or this sigil will be displayed in the background. At his feet is sometimes portrayed a hound.

Merinita

Her robe is light green, her toga a deeper forest green. Her staff is wound with ivy, and flowers often bloom from the tip. She bears a willow wand in her right hand. In many Pre-Schism War portraits she is shown with a tree growing from her cupped hands. She is sometimes accompanied by a unicorn, which was her familiar - if this is the case, she is often portrayed as a maiden, seated on the ground, with the head of the savage beast on her shoulder or in her lap. It is noticeable that most icons of Merinita display no fae overtones, indicative of the original bias of her House. In latter times, however, she is accompanied by a second, lithe figure, immediately recognisable as Quendalon because of his jewel-like eyes.

Very rarely she is depicted naked - in such representations, a crescent moon is always present.

Tremere

Tremere is the only one the Founders to be drawn unbearded. Occasionally he is depicted as a child. His colours are red toga over white robe. In early representations he holds his staff in his left hand and a pyramid in his right. In post-Schism War representations, his staff is replaced by a sceptre, with a looped end. His amulet is the sign of Mars, often drawn as a magic circle in which the Founder stands.

Tytalus

Like Tremere, Tytalus is dressed in a red toga over white tunic, but it is worn reversed from the other Founders. In each hand, Tytalus holds a sphere, one white and one black. His amulet most often appears as a spiral on his forehead, a reminder of the corruption of his House. Sometimes one of the spheres is replaced with an apple, representing forbidden knowledge. Occasionally a chessboard is represented, at other times a pair of dice. Icons created just after the Corruption of House Tytalus was discovered show an imp on his left side, offering him another pair of dice.

Verditius

This Founder is most often portrayed with an olive complexion, like those of Mediterranean climes. His toga is most often purple or blue, and he wears a tan robe with an embroidered hem beneath it. His right hand is held up, palm outwards, showing a ring on each of his fingers and thumb. His staff, held in the left hand, is made of iron or gold. Images of Verditius found in books penned by members of his House show their Founder stood behind a table, which bears a chalice, a pile of coins, a wooden ball, a flask of liquid and a roll of blank parchment.